The Apprentice Program offers the right person a chance to work in the shop for months at a time building his or her own guitars, doing repairs, and occasionally assisting in the school. This apprentice lives in the shop apartment, keeps his own schedule, and chooses which instruments within the guitar family to build, all of which he keeps. Instrument making experience is not necessary, but facility with one’s hands definitely is.

Benefits for the student include a marketable body of work, an equally marketable journeyman’s level of skill, and years saved in acquiring the knowledge and technique necessary for high-level work.

The length of the program is variable, as are starting dates, and payment schedules. Six months of study is the shortest commitment possible.

Rent pays for one-on-one instruction, housing and heat, phone and Wi-Fi service, and 24/7 access to the shop. The cost of materials is the apprentice's responsibility.

The starting date may be any mutually agreed upon date.

Please contact the school to apply, and for more details.

VERMONT INSTRUMENTS has completed his one year his apprenticeship. We look forward to his return soon to study arch top building. Michael is 24 years old, from Darien, CT. He studied with George before, then on to Red Rocks CC in Colorado for a Fine Woodworking Program. His interests are in inlay and detail (see his fine rosette work! See his initials!!!) What he loved about working with George was the "hands on approach; the relaxed atmosphere and George's teaching method, that allows the students to fix their own mistakes with guidance - that makes the final guitar really completed by the student".

Michael's favorite guitarists are Leo Kottke and Chet Atkins and his long term goal is to own his own line of "Camilleri Guitars". Michael will be with us for 1 year. We know it will be a productive and fun one!

I was very pleased with my experience in the combined repair/building course. I found the repair course to be a great introduction to many of the techniques and tools we would later use in the building course. I felt very comfortable during final assembly and setup as a result. The repair course also gave me a week on campus to play several different instruments and ask lots of questions about them, so that when we started the building course, I was able to make confident choices regarding body style, woods, and other options.